Chapter 151: My Iana

... Why did things happen like this?

It was frustrating. The relaxed atmosphere from a little while ago was nowhere to be found.

Waaaaonggweeeonngg

Pudding suddenly cried for a long time.

- Hu, human!

Pudding called me urgently, but there was no time to answer.

Ricdorian had one hand on his sword.

"Who are you, why my power..."

Ricdorian muttered a little.

I wanted to answer that, but no words came out.

It must have been because a red light was glimmering in his hand.

When Chaser used his power, it turned black, and when Francia used her power, it turned white. Naturally, that would be Ricdorian's power.

The problem was I couldn't figure out why he was doing this. There was only vigilance in his dark blue eyes.

"Why do I feel my power in you?"

...me? Not from this cat? I clapped my lips. He must have been a little misunderstood. This is not the time, but we need to clear up the misunderstanding.

I didn't know where to start talking.

"Duke, you misunderstood something..."

"Misunderstood?"

Ricdorian's hand moved.

"You say I won't recognize my power? Are you deceiving me now?"

No, that's because you felt that power not from me, but from this cat.

"Where did you feel that power, think again."

In the end, I put aside the introduction and get into the point.

"What?"

"Think about it."

Ricdorian must have had contact with Francia. Then there was no way he could not have known about the guardian deity.

I don't know the circumstances that led to Ricdorian getting Pudding taken from his body.

Judging from the time period, he was very young, so he can't remember, I'm just guessing.

I didn't want to say that this is your guardian deity. As it's like giving him the answer.

'Of course, all the time we've talked up to this point, it's like his eyes are covered.'

I didn't want to take my hands off his eyes.

"If you draw that sword, you will regret it."

There was certainty in my voice. At the same time, I was smart enough to see the confusion creeping over him.

"I'm begging you, can you take it without asking any more questions?"

With the little bit of politeness that had remained, I even stopped pretending to be a maid.

"You promised. You'll listen."

Promise, the moment the word came out, his face became strange. He dropped his hand from the sword. The red light that rose like a haze had not been erased.

- Human, human! Listen to me, Nyan!

Pudding cried over and over again and scratched my wrist with its front paw. I'd like to hear it too, but look at the situation.

I flinched back. I don't think it will be accepted easily like this. Now what?

....I really have no choice but to tell the truth.

The worries didn't last long. It was time to face him after making a short decision.

I trembled.

Suddenly, a hand with a red haze bloomed right next to my cheek.

Touch, it was a hand that touched and fell very lightly.

One moment.

<Lady, do you know?>

Marshmell's words echoed behind.

<This magic works better than I thought, still. If you meet the Master, do not face him. Especially when the Master uses his strength.>

Why?

<Magic and roses are like water and oil in opposite directions.>

The reason he said was this: 'the rose basically has the ability to dispel magic.' And he warned.

<It will come undone.>

Shaaaaa.

A strong wind blew from behind. The wind that came behind me forced me to look.

I couldn't see in front because of the long hair that came loose all of a sudden, the hair that obscured my vision...

I saw that this fluttering hair was pink.

It was my original hair color.

'I'm caught.'

The moment I slowly removed my hair, I could see eyes that had grown as if torn in front of me.

Just in time, the last light that had lit us went out. It seemed that all the lights in the room had been turned off.

We met in darkness and silence. It was Ricdorian who broke the silence.

In the dark, only the vague expression and the jaw are barely visible. He opened and closed his lips.

An indescribable expression flashed across his face. It was like watching the seasons change.

In an instant, the temperature rose, and the seething gaze captured me eagerly and anxiously. He had an unbelievable face.

His mouth twitched a few times, as if he couldn't speak, and then he reached out his hand.

"Don't."

Had it not been for the low voice, his hand would have touched my cheek.

I slowly pulled back my body.

As the hard thing touched my back, I could feel the familiar scent.

"Iana, found you."

It was a thick scent that seduced people, and it was a scent that sometimes took one's mind drastically.

"You can't do this, Grand Duke."

At the sound of the familiar voice, my back straightened. I could tell without looking.

It was Chaser.

"You're trying to touch mine."

Ricdorian flinched at this.

He looked at me with his outstretched hand. His hand slowly clenched into a fist.

Ricdorian's gaze gradually faded away.

"... yours?"

He seemed to have lost his gaze to Chaser, but I could tell by looking down for a moment.

An unusual black light was emanating from the floor.

The distant music was heard from somewhere. It was light and elegant music that did not go with this atmosphere.

However, a pleasant dance song made this situation feel more foreign and tense.

Ricdorian shone his eyes fiercely in the tense air. This was not the time.

"Pudding!"

I called the cat I was holding a little. Pudding trembled.

I lifted Pudding and whispered as loudly as possible only to this cat.

"Go, come on!"

Now was the chance. The black light emanating from Chaser's feet was unusual.

As if something was about to happen, my senses sounded an alarm.

Besides, now that Chaser noticed me, it seemed like there would be no chance if it wasn't now. No. There will be none. The situation was urgent.

"Now is your chance, come on! Hurry!"

But for some reason the gray cat didn't budge. Rather, it grabbed my hand with its clawed foot. The claws caught on my sleeves and scratched my flesh. It seemed so urgent that I didn't even know it.

- No, no, Nyan!

No? I was perplexed.

-Why why... are you sending me?

Why am I sending...

That's because you're Ricdorian's guardian deity. If you don't go there, Ricdorian's life is in danger. You say he'll disappear too.

I still remember those words clearly. I couldn't figure out why he was being like this.

- No, human!

But Pudding desperately rubbed its paws against mine.

-The, the heir of the red rose doesn't need me anymore!

Pudding spit like that, but I couldn't believe it.

- Are you going to abandon me, Nyan... ?

Waaong, waaong, a cry was heard. I hesitated.

It wasn't what I intended with Pudding, but... I was weak to the sound of the beast's crying.

<Kiing, kiiiinng, kiing! Keunngg..>

To be precise, it was a habit that started with a boy who mimicked beasts.

-I, I... I won't go.

The beast clings to me, crying desperately. The silver-haired boy looked overlaid from the gray, or even silver-haired cat.

- A little more.... Stay with me more, stay with me human.

<Promise. Keep it... ?>

- Don't throw me away, Nyan.

I remembered a memory I never wanted to remember. I remember thinking that I buried it so I wouldn't take it out anymore.

- I don't want to go.

<Promise, you will keep it.>

The gaze that pretended to be confident, but trembled endlessly and looked at me anxiously.

"Iana!"

The crying boy was erased, and there, he who had become a full-grown man was shouting.

Red light and black light collided in front of me. Rumble. Chaser's beast, Aquala, spread its large wings.

"...do you really don't want to go?"

- I won't go, Nyan.

"Is Ric, the heir,really okay without you?"

It was not unusual for things to turn around. If it was okay, I could have picked it up like this and thrown it at Ricdorian.

Perhaps Pudding realized what I meant, Pudding was more anxiously clinging to me.

- It's true, Nyan. The heir doesn't need me, Nyan, I want to be with you, human, Nyan!

"...I won't forgive you if you say that and then get into trouble."

Pudding probably didn't know what I meant by 'trouble'. It was the death of both. Pudding would disappear, but for me it was no different from death.

Pudding hesitated to answer, but said once again: no.

Then it buried it's face completely in my arms.

-... Human, you were lonely.

I was lonely?

Meanwhile, the black light came up to my legs and wrapped around Chaser's feet.

I tried to move it as a test.

'My feet won't move.'

I looked at Ricdorian with a huge sword in one hand.

He looked at me frightened by my gaze.

"Do you have a hobby of kidnapping people?"

Ricdorian's eyes filled with hatred.

"Chaser, you... again."

"I think you misunderstood."

Pudding, unhanging from my hand, was lifted up and grabbed by Chaser. His fingertips touched his lips.

"This was from the beginning, Grand Duke."

Chaser pressed his lips.

"No way. This is. It's my Iana."

My Iana, Chaser put my name out. Instead of my usual nickname 'my sister'.

"...my Iana?"

Ricdorian's eyes created an earthquake so great that it could be recognized even in the dark.

It was a sad and incomprehensible gaze.

Ricdorian's lips moved slightly. Like he couldn't find anything to say.

For a moment he seemed confused, like a lost child. But soon, an outburst of raw feeling erupted from the orderly face.

"Why?"

Here I felt.

He was there 3 years ago.

A 17-year-old Ricdorian who must have waited anxiously for me on the day of his appointment.

I thought he hated me.

No, I thought he would hate me.

So I buried it. I thought you hated me.

"Don't go."

—-

Note: I get teary eyed tling this chapter T.T